MATCH REPORT: Lancashire batters build lead in Cardiff
Lancashire have left Glamorgan with much to do to force a positive result after gaining a three-figure lead at Sophia Gardens.
Luke Wells’ dogged 78 to pass 1000 runs for the season in the process along with a much-needed 62 for Scottish international Michael Jones and George Balderson took Lancashire to 374. Several other starts including Keaton Jennings’ 1000-run landmark also boosted the visitors to their 109-run lead.
All-rounder Timm van der Gugten’s involvement in his 100th First-Class match wasn’t finished with a half-century on day one as he took the reigns to take 5 for 85. Glamorgan fighting back with the final four wickets inside nine overs with the second new ball.
Resuming overnight on a quietly approached 55, openers Wells and Jennings resumed momentum with the expectation to bat all day. Jennings’ half-century looked inevitable before being removed on 49 for Van der Gugten’s first victim despite Jennings’ tall stature batting outside of his ground on a rising delivery.
George Bell was next to fall short of a half-century with a stylish 45 while Wells remained quiet since pulling a boundary to bring up his thousand-run season.
Partnerships of substance without kicking on continued to be the theme. When Wells eventually was undone by Mason Crane finding some turn, a chance to rip through the middle-order looked possible, Jones struggling to line up Crane initially in a good battle. Even after two sixes in quick succession from the Scot, Sam Northeast persevered with bowling the former England leg-spinner who created numerous chances in a long spell which deserved more than his 2 for 109 suggests.
Ned Leonard hobbling off two balls into a spell left more pressure on Glamorgan crop rotation which became comfortable for Jones and Hurst, then Balderson, to score freely. Jones’ only second half-century of the season coming after just 42 balls and Hurst the latest to fall short of the milestone.
Tom Hartley pleasantly drove the first ball of the 89th over (Glamorgan’s first with the new ball) for four, giving warning signs of more to come at 337 for 6 – but Van der Gugten’s experience to gain his 300th first-class Glamorgan wicket, and one for Harris, was enough to wrap up before more potential damage on a variable pitch.
Similarly to the previous day, the opening pair would need to negate 17 overs under sun-lowering light at Sophia Gardens. Zain Ul Hassan avoided his pair and stuck out the day after an important spell of bowling claiming both Jones and Hurst who put together 88 in the afternoon.
Asa Tribe and nightwatcher Harris couldn’t grind out Lancs’ seamers despite a positive start from the former; a low ball making him the latest to succumb to that method on the deteriorating Cardiff pitch.